Wednesday, October 7, 2015

John Rocker

Say what you will about John Rocker, one fact
about the man cannot be denied. He certainly has personality. It’s abrasive,
obnoxious, ignorant and unrepentant. But definitely not bland.

By now, sports fan or not, the
average American probably knows who Rocker is, and many of them have been
offended by him. Particularly if they belong to a minority group, are
homosexual, or aren’t native born citizens of the U.S. Particularly if they
live in New York city
and ride the 7 train. I myself am a regular subway passenger in the Big Apple.
Therefore, I can say in John’s defense that being jammed into a metal box with
the huddled masses yearning to get to work can be quite aggravating. I will
also admit, because I want to be as fair as possible, that if beer, batteries
and curses had been flung at me for the sin of trying to do my job, I might be
inclined to hold a grudge as well.

Here is one of many ways in which I
differ from Rocker. If I was sitting next to a reporter from Sports
Illustrated, I would make a concentrated effort not to spew the most vile,
hateful commentary I could think up. That would make me more than just a bigot.
It would make me an idiot. Or am I repeating myself?

And yet there is a part of me that
applauds anyone who defies the regulations of political correctness. These
rules do tend to be somewhat strict. Honesty is supposed to be an admirable
trait, after all. Does the commandment about truthfulness become obsolete if
the truth believed strikes some as tasteless and cruel?

Had Rocker remained true to his
less than enlightened convictions, I may have formed a begrudging respect for
him. Once the you-know-what hit the fan however, he resorted to self-serving
excuses and flat out lies. Suddenly he did not mean the things he said in that
interview, they were taken out of context, were the result of stressful
circumstances. "My words got ahead of my head", is how he explained
himself. He wanted to retaliate strictly against rabid Mets and Yankees fans,
but ended up offending everyone who isn’t a member of the Aryan race. He now
hopes to convince us that he doesn’t really consider a teammate of his to be a
"fat monkey". That was just light hearted humor. I suppose we’re also
supposed to believe that John is a proponent of immigration and does not have a
racist or homophobic bone in his body. For his last trick, I’m guessing he
tries to sell us all the BrooklynBridge.

The response of the powers that be
in Major League Baseball to Rocker’s faux pas was nearly as ridiculous as his
judgement was. He was forced to see a psychiatrist, as if being a redneck is
equivalent to claustrophobia. Rocker did not hurl insults as he does baseballs
because he’s crazy. Nor did he break the law, as first amendment groupies are
quick to remind us. He has a Constitutional right to voice any opinion he
wants, no matter how unpopular. Perhaps this is why Rocker instantly appealed
his punishment (a $20,000 fine and 73 day suspension), in hope that it will be
greatly reduced if not completely overturned. Then again, although the first
amendment does keep people from being imprisoned for stating their beliefs, it
does not protect them from the discipline of employers in the private sector.
Rocker is legally entitled to speak his narrow mind, but has no right by law to
play professional baseball.

There are those who feel he merely
gave voice to beliefs that are commonly held but typically muffled. In some
parts, not so muffled. Athletes have received lesser punishment for physically
assaulting fellow players, officials and coaches; for testing positive for
drugs; for being arrested and convicted of crimes. It is somewhat reasonable to
feel Rocker has been treated unfairly, since he did not do anything wrong, but
only said it. His supporters can stand up and applaud the man if they so
choose. Others were appalled by what Rocker said, at what he appears to stand
for. These folks also have a legitimate point. They can boycott Braves games,
or perhaps show up at ballparks to let John know exactly what they think of
him. Such are the plentiful options we have in a democratic society. Our
government is so proud of this aspect that they are defying a foreign dictator
and a little boy’s immediate family to keep the child hostage in the land of
the free, home of the Atlanta Braves. But I digress.

I personally am glad Rocker said
what he did, for I prefer that ignorance be brought to light than remain hidden
where it can do covert damage. When there is an action, there is inevitably a
reaction. Perhaps as damage control, Major League Baseball will arrange for the
ascension of an extra minority or two to the ranks of upper management. Maybe
more ballparks will stage cultural appreciation days, such as was done in Shea
Stadium last year. If nothing else, the fallout from Rocker’s interview may
help him develop greater tolerance. Given time, his head may one day catch up
to his mouth. Plenty of ears on the 7 train will certainly be grateful for
that.

John Rocker may have a valid point with one thing he said in his defense. "To make one comment like this
doesn’t make you a racist." What little leaguers who idolize Major League
stars like Rocker might not realize however, is that feeling and speaking as such is an effective way
to get started as one.

About Me

NOW ACCEPTING REVIEW REQUESTS FROM INDIE AUTHORS ---
I plan to review independently published novels (with perhaps a sprinkle of non fiction thrown in) on a regular basis when the calendar turns to 2017. No genres barred, which is not to say that I will read anything/everything suggested to me. I may take a pass on most for I intend to be picky, my selection criteria based strictly on what sounds like "my kind of book". DIVERSITY welcomed, PRINT preferred. In addition to a synopsis I'll want to see a brief excerpt from your book to help me decide. For a taste of my style, type "book reviews" into the Search bar. Or you can peruse my collection of reviews at goodreads. Send queries to mudhousebooks@gmail.com -------------------------------------------------------------------
Roy Pickering is the author of the novels Matters of Convenience & Patches of Grey, as well as the novella Feeding the Squirrels which you can find presented here in serialized form. A sampling of his prose is showcased at RoyPickering.net. Roy once blogged here in tandem with his wife. Erin's presence is still felt through her artwork in many of the postings.